A New Life
by dubvlady
Summary: After Bill reveals their lifestyle to the world, Barb can no longer stay in the family. Will she be the only one that leaves, or will it begin a chain reaction that changes the Hendrickson family as we know them?


This is my first attempt at fan fiction! I'm writing the way I'd LIKE to see the new season go :) Comments are greatly appreciated! The story begins where the last season left off.

It was all very surreal. After all the years of hiding, pretending to be someone else, Barb stood in front of the state capitol building with her husband, who had just proudly proclaimed to be a polygamist. She looked out at the shocked crowd, who was thinning out due to the many disgusted people who had chosen to leave once Bill had made his announcement.

Barb was a bit disgusted herself. She had hesitated; she had nearly turned and ran for the door, but she didn't. She didn't know why. Barb didn't want it… she didn't want any of it. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her two sister wives. She couldn't imagine what they were thinking. She wondered if they had any idea of the doubts that she had… and that these doubts were nothing new.

Quickly, the four of them got into the limousine as planned, and left the capitol.

"Oh, Bill!" Nikki said excitedly. "We did it! Everyone knows and we don't have to be ashamed!"

Bill patted her hand but said nothing. Margene sat in silence, as Barb did. Barb could feel Margene's eyes on her, trying to catch her attention, but Barb wouldn't turn away from the window. Was this it? Was this what she had given up her church and life for? To be some side show on the evening news?

"What will happen now?" Margene asked.

"Well, there will be a lot of media, a lot of questions", Bill said, "but I really believe that we will be accepted for who we are, even if we aren't loved by everyone. There are more of us than people think, and not just on compounds. Heavenly Father has blessed us."

"Oh, stop it!" Barb shouted. The other three turned and looked at her in shock. "Stop it, Bill! I don't buy it anymore. You think that pushing this family into the spotlight will fix everything? You are wrong. This family has been falling apart for a long time and you just pushed us over a cliff! I tried everything I could to stop you, and you just refuse to respect our feelings!"

"Barb, hon, you're just upset. You're in shock over everything. I'm sure if you calm down a bit you will understand…" Bill tried to take Barb's hand, but she snatched it away.

"No, Bill. I don't want to do this anymore. I'm sorry. I love this family but I know that we have come to the end of the road. It won't even hurt your platform. You will still have two wives. You will still be a polygamist!"

"Barb!" Margene cried. "Please… I don't like this either, but don't leave us. It won't be just Bill that gets hurt!"

Nikki sat in silence. It was dark, so nobody could see the small, satisfied smile that crept onto her face.

Barb knocked on Cindy's door. She was still quite shaken over her decision to leave Bill, but she did not second guess herself. She still loved her family… and this thought brought fresh tears to her eyes, but she realized that she could no longer be Bill's wife. Wasn't it worse, she asked herself, to pretend to be a polygamist and a complacent wife than to be a divorcee?

Teeny was at her side. This was the part of the situation that solidified her decision. When she arrived home from the capitol earlier that night, she had marched upstairs and began packing her things. Teeny had followed her to her room.

"Mom, are you leaving Dad? Please take me with you. This isn't a godly family. I want to be a real Mormon again."

Barb sighed, thinking of Ben, who had unwaveringly stayed at Bill's side. If she would let herself, she would acknowledge that Bill's way of thinking was much more appealing to boys… but no. She couldn't let herself think of Benny that way.

But that whole debacle with Margene…

Bill thought that they just needed space… that they would reconcile and she would accept his beliefs again and go along with everything he said. Barb was filled with a new wave of anger over this. No. Never again.

Cindy came to the door. She was in her bathrobe and clearly shocked to see Barb there.

"Barb! Did something go wrong? Did Bill get arrested?"

"No, Cindy. I left him. I'm gone for good. I want to join the Church again and get unsealed from Bill."

Cindy gaped at her for a moment, and then engulfed her in a huge hug.

"Oh Barb! I'm so sorry that you are in pain, but I will be so happy to see you back in the true Mormon faith. I'm so glad that Teeny is with you!"

"I want to follow the true faith, and I hate how Dad treats Mom... like she needed replacing after she couldn't have babies anymore!"

Barb was shocked at Teeny's words... shocked that she was so aware of what was going on, and shocked at the perspective that she had taken. Perhaps her daughter was more aware of her life than she was.

"Come inside", said Cindy. "You must be tired… just go ahead and go to bed. Teeny can sleep on the couch and you can take the guest room. We can talk more in the morning."

Barb cried herself to sleep that night, mourning the loss of her marriage, but aware that the marriage had ended long before.


End file.
